PATRIOTIC CARNIVAL

Grey River Argus, 9 April 1941, Page 10

PATRIOTIC CARNIVAL

TO RAISE £11,500 Enthusiastic Meeting The Mayor (Mr.’ F. A. Kitchingham), presided over an enthusiastic public meeting held in the Borough Chambers last evening to select. Queen candidates for the forthcoming Queen Carnival to raise the Grey District’s quota' of 111,500 for the All Purposes’ Appeal. The Mayor said that it had been decided to conduct a Queen Carnival and the Grey District Committee had decided that there be three Queen candidates without any restriction as to the territory of any candidate. The Mayor expressed pleasure at the large attendance. The Million Pounds’ Appeal had not been launched on the West Coast earlier owing to the splendid response made to an earlier appeal. The Grey District quota was £11,500. In the 19 months since the start of the war, £19,000 had been raised on the whole West Coast. Close on £4,900 had been spent on parcels and wool. etc., for knitting. The Million Pounds’ Appeal was designed to prevent sectional appeals. One of the greatest needs would be that of the men when they came back and it was in this work that committees would in future find much to do, because many classes of cases could not be covered by regulations. The meeting had to arrange for the selection of candidates and to launch the carnival. Certain “feelers” had been put out, but the selection was entirely for the meeting, or any'- committee the meeting appointed. It would be futile to select anyone who was not anxious to stand as a candidate. On Anzac night the “Hollywood Artists” Broadcast would take place, and anyone could, by ringing 3ZR, nominate a donation to any candidate or to have it divided amongst the three candidates.

In answer to questions, the Mayor said a couple of months from after Easter should be ample for the carnival. The meeting could decide on the titles of candidates. Mr. J. N. Macaulay suggested that instead of Army, Navy and Air Force Queens, they could have Fighting Service's, Industries and Public Ser- ' vices’ queen candidates. This, ne said, would produce far better competition amongst the committees. The Mayor said that the difficulty’ was to get the whole of one section of the community working behind one candidate. Mr. J. Conaghan moved that the names of the candidates be Army, Navy and Ail’ Force, Mr. F. W. Baillie seconding the motion. Mr. Macaulay moved that the names be Fighting Forces, Public Services and Industries’ Queens. Mr. S. B. Quintrell seconded the amendment. Mrs. C. E. Broad asked if there were representatives offering sufficient support for the three candidates suggested in the amendment? On the Mayor’s suggestion, those present indicated the organisations to which they were attached. The Mayor said that the sporting bodies were mostly represented, there being no industries with representation, although several Unions had sent delegates. The amendment was lost by an overwhelming majority and the motion carried unanimously. TWO CANDIDATES NOMINATED. Misses Patricia Kirk, of Blackball, and Eileen ftannan. of Greymouth, were nominated as candidates. The Mayor said it was competent for the meeting to select candidates and leave the third, candidate for selection later. .< Mr. J'. Harrison suggested that the committees should be set up first and that they should decide on the candidates.

I The Mayor said Miss Hannan had expressed a willingness to represent the Navy. Mr. G. Blair said M'ss Kirk would represent lhe Army. The Mayor said that an executive would be necessary to control the whole carnival. There would be a distinct break from earlier procedure in that the funds raised in the (various localities would not go to separate district accounts but to the credit of each candidate irrespective of where it was raised. Asked if the District Patriotic Committee would cease activities, the Mayor said the committee had not raised money, but had attended to such details as parcels and gifts for the troops. The committee could well exercise general control of the carnival. It included representatives of the four committees, in the different areas

On the motion of Messrs P. J. McLean and T. O’Donnell, the present district committee was appointed as controlling committee for the carnival. Mr. F. H. Denton was appointed 'Treasurer.

Mr. V. E. Hughes said that a forthcoming Revue in which he was interested would be divided amongst the three candidates.

The Mayor said that each candidate should be credited with her sales of tickets for various entertainments.

Mr. F. W. Baillie moved and Mr. G. Blair seconded, that the carnival open on April 21 and conclude on. June 21, the motion being carried. It was decided that photographs of the three candidates in uniform be shown on the screen at the theatres.

Mr. P. J. McLean suggested that the Queens call meetings of those interested to form their own committees.

On the motion of Messrs Conagha'u and McLean, it was left to the candidates to select their own committees.

I Mrs. Kitchingham said that it would be a fine gesture if Cobden provided the Air Force Queen. I It was decided that a sub-commit-tee of the Greymouth Patriotic Comjmittee, Messrs Greenslade,. Mitchell. R. Anderson, Coates, Baillie, ConaIghan and the Mayor, select the Air Force candidate. The Mayor expressed the hope that all candidates and committees would co-operate without any friction in the great work of raising money which was urgently needed for the troops now and when they returned home. As soon as the committees were set up, they w’ould have to determine what joint events would be run because it should be possible to run ?. large number of such shows. The Mayor urged those present to give

all assistance to the candidate of their choice.

| Messrs W. H. Parfitt and J'. Roulston were appointed joint secretaries of ihe Carnival Committee. Mrs. F. W. Shallcrass asked that each committee be supplied with a list of the organisations represented at the meeting, and the Mayor agreed to do so. Mr. Ba : llie asked if further contributions would go into the present funds when the carnival started, also if the various firms contributing regularly could nominate the Queen they wished to support. He - asked also the position of the Patriotic shop. Miss E. M. Heaphy said that certain payments made regularly to the County Fund should be continued. It would be bad policy to stop them for two months, as they were deducted from pays. If they wished to nominate the money for one candidate, they could do so. Mr. Baillie said the Cobden Committee did not wish to lose control of the Saturday night dances. They could divide the proceeds amongst the three candidates. He thought they could do so with the weekly shop day. The Mayor said it was for people giving to any present, fund to decido for themselves whether they wished that diverted for the Carnival. In answer to a suggestion by Mr Panckhurst that the money raised might be invested for 20 years, the Mayor said that it would well be left to the rehabilitation committees to see that the money was properlyspent. Mr. McLean said that there was about £250 left of the £12,000 the old Patriotic Committee held at the end of the last war. The money was used carefully to assist the most deserving cases. There had been no hoarding under local control, but the money was now under the National Wai’ Funds Council.

' Mr. W. H. Parfitt agreed with Mr. (McLean and said that the committee i had frequently been thanked by the R.S.A. for the manner it had dealt with lhe funds. Mr. Panckhurst said that the treatment given men in the Grey district was more generous than that given in some other centres. | Mr. Baillie said that many soldiers broke down many years after the war. They were assisted from the funds. The Mayor expressed thanks for the attendance and expressed the hope that the contest would be keen and would produce happy financial results. TARANAKI GIFT NEW PLYMOUTH, April 8. The trustees of the New Plymouth Savings Bank have given £lOOO to the Taranaki share of the £1,000,000 patriotic appeal, subject to the Minister's approval.